Star Force: Trial by Fire
by hidden-maia
Summary: When a former Ranger is captured, how far will the Rangers go to get him back?
1. Prologue No Place Like Home

**Disclaimer: **Let's get this out of the way first, shall we? I don't own Power Rangers, and I never did. I am writing this story purely for my own amusement and torture, no infringement intended on whoever owns the series now.

**Author's Note: **This story takes place in the same time line as Taking up the Mantle, a short vignette I wrote. However, you do not need to read that to understand this. The prologue to this story takes place a few weeks before the first chapter does, at the very beginning of the school year. Updates will happen when they happen. I will try and make them a regular occurrence, but I'm not setting a schedule in stone.

Oh, and I apologize in advance for the terrible fight scenes. I assure you, they look much better in my head then they probably turn out on paper. Or on screen.

Reviews are always appreciated. Flames will be used to roast the Overlord's minions.

There's No Place Like Home

"Hey Storch, see ya tomorrow!"

"Yo Jarhead! Sure you don't want to come with us? It wouldn't kill you to miss a class."

"Knock it off guys, he spent the whole summer with us. Let him have his own life!"

The last comment was greeted with boos, and started another round of a teasing sort of angry babble.

"His own life? Why would he want his own life?"

"Yeah, we should be life enough for him. I can't believe the J-man's really gonna blow us off for those karate geeks again."

"Don't call them geeks!"

Jared Storch grinned as he listened to the litany of complaints and counter complaints that followed as he got ready to part from his friends to go to the karate class he attended three days a week at the local dojo. The bell for the end of the day had rung just a few moments before, and his friends had quickly separated from the mass of students that had run out the double doors, headed for the various modes of transportation that would take them back home. They, on the other hand, were headed towards the sports park for a couple of games of basketball before heading home, which was where they wanted him to go. And on any other day, he would. But karate had become an integral part of his life, and he would choose it over a basketball game any day. The adrenaline rush he got after successfully completing a kata, or defeating an opponent in a spar was incredible, and yet somehow it also helped him become more calm, more focused.

"Sorry guys, no can do," he told them. "We're learning something new today and I can't miss it."

Besides, he thought, unconsciously looking down at his clothes, a karate uniform isn't exactly the best thing to wear for a game. It's too bulky and hot for me to feel comfortable running up and down the court, and I don't want to go through all the trouble of taking it off.

Much to the amusement of his teachers, Jared often wore his uniform (minus the belt) to his last class on the days he went to the dojo. It saved him that extra time so he could get started on his warm up exercises right away and finish them before the lesson actually started. While the dojo was close by, school didn't end all that much before class and it did take him a couple of minutes to walk there. Not only that, but he was running late today, courtesy of a history test. Normally, Miz Lewis was very big on letting her end of the day classes out early, but on test days she insisted that everyone remain in their seats until the bell rang. It was her thinking that if you finished your exam early, then there was a good chance that you did something wrong, and she wanted everyone to have a chance to go over their work. Jared usually agreed with this, except on the days when a test put him in danger of being late to karate class. There were times when he thought about switching classes, but he liked Sensei Dennis too much to do anything about it.

Speaking of which...

Jared looked down at his watch. He'd really be in for it if he didn't head out now. Maybe he would use the run there as part of his exercise.

"Bye guys! Catch you later!" he called. He shouldered his backpack, and ran off to more boos and groans.

As he ran, Jared wondered what the other people on the street watching him must think. There he was, a short, shrimp of a kid who barely looked his fifteen years wearing a karate uniform. They probably thought he was going to a costume party or something. That's what his friends had thought the first time he showed them his uniform. They had teased him endlessly about his newfound passion, even when they saw that he was serious about it. But that had changed one day, when they watched him successfully defend himself against some Shadows before the Power Rangers could come. The Shadows were Overlord Vordel's henchmen, who were part robot and part something else, but they could move so fast you would think they were only shadows. His friends still teased him about his hobby, but sometimes they also asked him to show them things they learned in class which he was more than happy to do. Living in Oceanview, you never knew when or where a monster attack would occur, and you always had to be prepared.

The teen rounded a corner and was about to stoop down to tie his shoe when he suddenly became aware of loud booms and terrified screams all around him. He was just beginning to wrap his mind around the significance of this when he felt an inhuman hand grasp his shoulder and he snapped up sharply, hitting the Shadow's face with the back of his own head and causing it to stumble back a few paces in pain. That gave Jared the distance he needed to launch into a kick that landed directly in it's stomach. He nodded in satisfaction as the Shadow broke up into pieces and disappeared.

_Damn_, he thought, _not this again_! _Where are the Power Rangers when you need them_?

He re-shouldered his backpack in time to block a blow meant for his head, then unslung his backpack and threw it at a third one to distract it before finishing off the one who'd tried to give him a concussion. But when he tried to retrieve his backpack, he found that the Shadow who had it had started a game of catch and there was no way for him to get it back without making himself look like a fool.

"Hey!" he shouted at them. "Give that back!"

But they just continued playing as if they hadn't heard them. More of them came at them and he didn't have time for anything else except to concentrate on not getting himself killed. Jared wasn't sure what to make of all the attention he was getting, but something inside him told him that the Shadows had come specially for him.

Jared leapt up and kicked two of them at the same time, then swept down with his leg to knock several more off their feet. One more tried to give him another concussion, but he blocked that punch and sent it careening back into its fellows with one of his own.

But no matter how many of them he managed to destroy, more of them just kept on coming, and he was getting tired.

And just when he thought that things couldn't possibly get any worse, they did. With a loud boom, a large, mud colored monster that was at least two feet taller than he was and wore some sort of armor appeared on the opposite side of the street, and was headed toward him.

_Aw hell_, he thought, staring at it. _Why me_?

"Having fun yet, Ranger?" the monster taunted. Jared cringed. The sound of his voice was less than pleasant.

His brow furrowed in confusion and he looked around. He certainly was no Ranger, and none had yet arrived on scene.

"I don't know who you're talking to, but you might want to make like a banana and split before the Rangers do show up," Jared said.

The monster looked at him like he was crazy.

"Not a Ranger? Of course you're a Ranger! You fight like a Ranger. The Overlord never lies."

Jared's jaw dropped. Overlord Vordel himself had sent these goons after him? But the monster gave him no time to ask any questions.

"But enough chit chat. The Overlord sent me to retrieve you, and retrieve you I will."

The monster rushed at him.

Before he fully understood what was happening, a silver gem appeared, embedded in the palm of his hand. He curled his fingers around it then pumped his fist up and released them, bathing him in a wash of silver light. Unbidden, words came from his mouth that he never thought he'd use.

"Lunar power, Ranger form!"

Jared felt a rush of power and when he finally looked down he found himself dressed in a silvery-blue colored spandex get up.

_Hot damn_, he thought with wonder. _I really am a Power Ranger_!

The teen looked around quickly to make sure that no one had seen him, but he didn't have to worry; the street was empty for as far down as he could see. Jared snapped to just in time to block a blow aimed for his stomach, and he marveled at his new speed. Morphed, he found that he could block attacks faster than ever before, and deal blows with more force.

But his victory was short lived. Jared left a side unintentionally undefended and the monster grabbed the opportunity, striking full force and sending him stumbling backwards into a group of Shadows who had finally decided to stop playing catch. They grabbed him, some holding his shoulders and arms back while others held his feet down. He struggled, but they had him effectively trapped. And the Rangers still hadn't shown up yet.

_This can't be happening... this is only a dream. It has to be a dream. Any minute now I'm going to wake up and find that I just dozed off during the test, and school hasn't finished yet. Come on now, say it with me. There's no place like home... there's no place like home..._

Yet no matter how tightly he shut his eyes, or how many times he attempted to tap his heals together, the monster was still just inches away from his face, so close that he could smell his putrid breath. He looked down to give himself the opportunity to breath fresh air.

Oh yes, and he was still wearing the spandex.

"You put up a good fight, my pet," the monster said. He put a none too gentle finger underneath Jared's chin and lifted his head up so Jared was looking into his eyes. "But soon, you will learn to call the Overlord Master."

"Never!"

It didn't matter that he didn't know who it was he worked for now, but he knew for certain he was never going to join the Overlord's forces. If he was a Power Ranger now, it was his job to protect the world from the likes of him. Not aid him in his conquest.

The monster didn't acknowledge his conviction.

"Take him to the Overlord," he commanded the Shadows in a hard voice. "And don't be afraid to be rough with him when he tries to put up a fight. I was only commanded to bring him back alive; the Overlord doesn't care what condition he's in."

The monster thrust Jared's chin away, and stepped back. The teen gulped, some of his defiance gone in favor of worry.

"Now go."

Jared didn't see the six beams of light that finally arrived on scene.


	2. Call to Arms

**Author's Note**: Here's the first chapter of Trial by Fire. First of all, I have to admit that I goofed up somewhat on my time line, and didn't realize it until after I posted the prologue. The reason why no Rangers showed up at the scene of the battle until very late is because that's when the transfer of power took place, and the new team took over for the old team. In any case, we will be seeing more of Jared throughout this fic, though he won't actually join the new team until later on in the game, quite possibly not until the next one.

Now that that's over with, Call to Arms is divided into two parts; you'll get the second one a little later in the week. Since you don't get to see the new team's first battle and all, the main purpose of this chapter is to be a "getting to know you" type thing.

As always, I apologize for the terrible battle scenes.

Reviews are always appreciated. Flames will be used to roast the Overlord's minions.

Call to Arms

_Dennis is right_, I thought, wriggling my toes slightly, _you just can't beat the feeling of sand between your toes and underneath your feet_.

It was early morning, and my brother and I were jogging along the expanse of beach that was just a hop over a barrier away from our house. For my brother, the run was just a part of his morning routine. For me, it was a chance to spend some quality time with my only sibling. The clear blue waters and pearly white beach were just some of the many things that drew our parents to Oceanview all those years ago. And now, a little over a decade later, the new generation was enjoying them.

My brother and I were both wearing jogging shorts and a red tank top. It was a little cool this morning, but we both knew that we'd be too hot by the time we finished our run to wear anything else. Or, at least, I knew I'd be too hot. Dennis could easily run five miles without breaking a sweat.

Anyway, Dennis had only taken a liking to the color red a few years ago. Three to be exact. I was more than a little annoyed, and surprised, when the color started cropping up all over his wardrobe and even his possessions when he had shown indifference to it before. Red had been my favorite color for as long as I could remember, and I somehow thought that he was trying to be like me. Why I was annoyed by that, I can't figure out. If that had really been the reason Dennis started wearing my favorite color more than usual, I should have been honored.

I found the real reason for his sudden affinity for my favorite color at the end of the summer: my own brother had been the red Power Ranger. It had been quite a shock to find out that my brother had lead the team of Oceanview's defenders. But it had been even more of a shock to find out that I would be his successor.

To this day I still have my doubts about being the Red Ranger, but everyone assures me that it was meant to be.

I was pulled out of my musings by a sharp feeling of pain from my side. Thinking it was a Shadow, I dropped into my best imitation of a fighting stance, only to find myself swept off my feet before I could launch an attack. Unbalanced, I fell flat on my back. But instead of looking up at the face of one of Vordel's foot soldiers, I was staring at Dennis's.

"What the _hell_ was that for?" I managed to get out after recovering my breath.

Dennis was unrepentant.

"As a Power Ranger, you must always be aware of your surroundings. Even more so as the Red Ranger."

"I was perfectly aware of my surroundings!"

He gave me a look.

"No, you weren't. Had I really been a Shadow or one of Vordel's other creations, you would be dead now before you even knew what hit you. Even you could have easily defended yourself had you really been paying attention."

Dennis offered me his hand and I used it to haul myself up. Now I had sand in my hair as well as between my toes. I was definitely taking a shower when we got home. I looked warily at my brother, expecting him to attack me again but he gave me a small smile and shook his head.

"I think you've learned your lesson for today," he said.

Yup, that was my brother. Always looking out for me. I nodded in agreement and rubbed the back of my head.

"So what were you thinking about?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"Just... stuff."

"Well, you better not be thinking about what I think you're thinking about, because then I might seriously have to hurt you," he declared.

I grinned at him.

"You wouldn't," I said confidently. "I'm your favorite brother!"

He laughed, and ruffled my hair.

"You're my only brother, squirt."

"The argument is still valid. And don't call me squirt!"

Out of all my brother's nicknames for me, squirt was one of the ones I hated most, since I was only just a few inches shorter than he was.

"I can call you whatever I want, Steve-o, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Oh yeah?" I challenged, "You just wait and see!"

Dennis gave me an odd look.

"What if I don't want to wait? Show me now!" he commanded, and there was something in his tone that made me very glad he was on our side. "Doofus," he added after a heartbeat.

That did it for me. I could tolerate being called names like doofus and nerd by anyone else but my brother, even though I now knew what his game was. Dennis had managed to put a few feet between us during our conversation so I ran at him, and tried to bring him down with a tackle. But he was ready for me, and had dug his feet firmly into the ground. He let me struggle for a few minutes, arms folded across his chest, then he pushed me back and threw a punch at me. Only slightly more prepared than before I attempted to throw both my hands up in defense but Dennis grabbed the opportunity and switched tracks to my undefended side. I staggered sideways for a few steps before kicking out at him, which he ducked easily.

"You call that a kick?" he taunted. "Grandma Evans could break boards with her kick and she's never had a karate lesson in her life!

It was true. After watching Dennis break boards one day, Grandma Evans decided she wanted to give it a try, despite everyone's protests. But to everyone's surprise, her wild kick had broken the board clean down the middle. Breaking the board had given her such a rush, she'd said, and it was all she talked about for weeks. But she also complained about a sore foot for a few days after.

I charged at him again when I sufficiently regained my balance, only to find myself flat on my back once more. Dennis smirked at me, but when he bent down to help me up again, I threw all of my weight into dragging him down. It worked. We tussled around on the sand for a few minutes until the funny looking watch I wore on my wrist beeped. I looked apologetically at my brother and he got off me, then motioned for me to answer it.

I sat up gingerly, then lifted my wrist to my mouth.

"What's up Sorosi?" I asked.

"_Steven, your presence is required immediately_."

Something about the woman's. tone caused Dennis and I to look at each other.

"Sure thing," I told her.

"_Prepare for teleportation_," she said, and I knew something was wrong. Because of the close proximity of our mentor's base of operations to Oceanview, we usually got there our own way to conserve what little power she had available.

"Okay, I'm ready," I said after Dennis and I looked around to make sure no one was watching.

A second later I was face to face with the woman who had become a mentor to my team.

The shower would have to wait until later.

* * *

Christina March spent a good couple of minutes rummaging around in her her closet drawer before triumphantly pulling out a pink, short sleeved t-shirt. Her treasure found, she pulled it on over the long sleeved white one she was already wearing. Fully dressed and ready for the day's activities (which would more than likely include sending some Shadows to kingdom come), she turned slightly to examine herself in the full length mirror that covered the back of her closet door. 

"You never used to like that color," a soft, feminine voice commented from behind her. Christina jumped, then turned around to give her mother a sheepish grin. Shadows couldn't even talk, and none of the monsters Vordel sent ever said anything like that.

Chris herself could hardly believe that she was wearing that she was wearing something pink, when just weeks ago she eschewed anything with the barest hint of that color. Then again, so much had changed since she had become a Power Ranger. Sometimes, she hardly recognized herself.

"I know," she said. Then she shrugged. "Just thought I'd try something new."

Her mother gave her an approving nod. If there was one good thing that Chris could say about her mother, it was that she wasn't close minded. Elaine March was always into trying knew things and going to different places. And while not all of those new experiences were good or pleasant for her, Chris knew that her life was more enriched by them. "Character building", her father was fond of saying.

Her mother sat down on the edge of her bed, and Christina awkwardly tugged down the bottom of her shirt. It wasn't every day her mother came to see her when she got dressed, even on the weekend.

"So what's up mom?" she asked, hoping to find out what it was her mother wanted quickly, so she could go meet her friend Phoebe by the park.

Her mother looked reproachfully at her.

"Can't a mother see her only daughter for just five minutes before she rushes off to her friends? I feel like we barely see each other any more Christina, what with you so busy with school and all."

Christina sighed. So her mother was trying to guilt trip her again? What could she possibly say to push the rest of the conversation off?

"I know mom, and I'm sorry," she said quickly, "but we just have this really big and important project we're working on right now. I promise we'll spend more time together as soon as my work load lightens up."

Well, it wasn't technically a lie. Saving the world was from an evil villain trying to take it over was biggest and most important project anyone could possibly take on. But Christina hated to lie to her mother, and she was certain her promise was going to come back to bite her later.

Luckily, her mother accepted the bait.

"Thanks sweetie. We'll have lots of fun together, I'm sure."

Christina nodded, and cheered inside. Wonderful! And now for her mother's big exit...

"So what are you doing today?" her mother asked. "You never did tell me last night during dinner."

...that never happened.

She sighed. So close. She had been so close to escaping.

"Well, Phoebe and I are going to the park now." That much was true. "And then we're probably going to meet up with the rest of our friends and head over to the library." That was partially true.

Her mother looked thoughtfully at her.

"Why don't you invite some of your friends over for dinner one night sweetie? I'm sure they'd have a good time, and your father and I barely ever see them."

Christina let out a frustrated breath instead of the screech that wanted to come out. Was her mother ever going to let her go?

But just then, an escape route presented itself. At the same time, her cell phone rang and the funny looking watch she wore beeped.

_Looks like Vordel is getting an start early today_, she thought. She gave her mother an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry mom, but that's Phoebe. I've gotta go, but I'll be back for dinner. Bye!'

Without giving her mother a chance to say anything else, Christina gave her a kiss on her cheek, grabbed both her phone and jacket from her bed, and ran out the door. Once outside she made for the nearest tree and stooped down, pretending to tie her shoe. At the same time, she lifted her wrist to her mouth and spoke into the watch.

"Christina here."

To her ears, the feminine voice that spoke back to her sounded slightly distressed, and that worried her.

"_Christina, your presence is required here immediately_."

"Here" was ops for the Star Force Rangers, a place she and her teammates called "the Cave". It was entirely appropriate, because their mentor had set up shop in a large cave system just outside of Oceanview.

"Sure thing Sorosi," she said.

A beat passed.

"_Prepare for teleportation_," the same voice recommended.

Another moment later, and she was in the place that had become like a second home to her.


	3. Call to Arms pt 2

The noisy, chaotic atmosphere of the Hava Java was the last place you'd expect to find a study session happening. Formerly a coffee shop, the owners (who were barely out of high school themselves) had decided to turn it into the sort of place they wished they'd had when they were in high school. Kids could meet and hang out with other kids their age in a fun, safe environment. With bright, colorful walls and lots of different amenities, it had become a home away from home for more than one kid.

Which was exactly why Mark Bodner and Jesse Stone were there. Jesse was a fifth grader that Mark tutored as part of an after school peer tutoring program. He had been uncomfortable with the idea of holding the study sessions at either of their houses, and loathed the idea of being in school for more than he had to. Even with all the noise, Mark thought that this would be an ideal place since Jesse _was_ comfortable here, and it was easy for the both of them to get to.

And so far, he had nothing to complain about. The kid payed attention to him, and seemed to actually be learning something.

The teen rolled up the sleeves of his blue shirt, and looked down at the stack of index cards he was holding. During Friday's session, he had Jesse do most of his other homework so today he could help the kid study for a spelling bee his class was having during the week. Mark shuffled through the cards, found one he liked, then looked back up at Jesse, who was watching him eagerly.

"So," he said, "to demonstrate defenestration we..."

"Throw something out the window!"

Some kids at the surrounding tables looked curiously at them at Jesse's enthusiastic answer and he blushed slightly, then ducked his head. Mark ruffled his hair. That was one of the things he liked about the kid. He had a really vibrant personality when you could draw him out of his shell. He motioned for him to go on. This time, Jesse lowered his voice.

"And... defenestration. D – e – f – e – n – e – s – t – r – a – t – i – o – n. Defenestration."

Mark grinned. That had been one of the words Jesse got wrong several times during their initial practice rounds. It did him proud to see the kid get it right, and without any hesitation.

"That's right!" he praised, shuffling through the cards some more. "I think you're finally getting the hang of it."

Jesse beamed.

"So you think I have a chance of winning?" he asked.

Mark nodded. "More than a chance, if you keep up your studying."

"I will," he promised solemnly.

Mark shuffled through the cards some more, and found another one he liked.

"Ok, how about this next – "

Just as he was about to give Jesse the next word, his watch beeped. Mark groaned. He had hoped to completely finish this session so he wouldn't have to make up for it during their next one, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen. Jesse looked at him curiously, and he managed to give the kid an apologetic look.

"Sorry Jess, but we're going to have to cut this one short today," he said.

Jesse looked crestfallen. "Aw man! And I was on a roll too."

"I know. But we'll just have to continue the next time I see you."

Mark gathered his things and shoved them into his bag. The teen said his goodbyes, then headed for the back of the lounge. He could just as easily be teleported from a bathroom stall if he needed to be. Once in the bathroom, he ducked into the first empty stall he saw. When he was sure that everyone else in the bathroom was gone, he lifted his wrist to his mouth.

"Sorry for the delay Sorosi, but I'm here."

"_Prepare for teleportation_," his mentor said without preamble, and he frowned at her tone. Something was wrong.

Not a minute later he found himself in the cave his mentor had set herself up in. Unbalanced from the teleportation, Mark staggered sideways, then heard ringing in his ears as he crashed down onto the floor.

_There was a loud boom and suddenly the skies opened, releasing a torrent of rain. Lightning flashed across the sky and trees swayed with the howling wind. She looked up in surprise, then hastily returned her gaze to her surroundings. She had been so certain this morning that it wasn't supposed to rain that she hadn't even brought a jacket with her. Not that a jacket would do her much good in this downpour, or even an umbrella. She shivered. Her only consolation was that at least the Shadows she was fighting seemed to be struggling as much as she was. They slipped and tripped on the wet concrete, then crashed into each other and disappeared. _

_But even the rain's help wasn't enough. For every Shadow she destroyed, another took its place. They were relentless in their attempt to destroy her, but she was getting tired. Very tired. _

_She ducked under a high kick, then delivered a punch straight to the Shadow's stomach, feeling a sense of relief as she watched it break up. Another one tried to get her from behind, but she spun around and kicked it back, then swept several more off their feet. She was sure the fight would be over by now if her teammates were here, but they weren't, and she couldn't contact them._

_She was on her own._

_A group of them tried to close in on her and she leapt back to give herself some more room. She grabbed onto a nearby tree branch to help herself regain her balance as she slipped on mud. The water level was rising quickly, and would soon be waist deep if the rain didn't stop soon. _

_The Shadows came closer, and she continued leaping back. She needed to catch her breath, even if just _

_for a few minutes so she could keep going. But when she wanted to stop, she couldn't. Her body continued flipping, even when she tried to get it to stop._

_In a way, this was worse than fighting the Shadows because now it was her own body working against her. _

_The world slowed, then continued slowing as did backflip after backflip, right off the edge of a cliff that wasn't supposed to be there. Suddenly she was floating, then _

_falling_

_downward_

_and downward_

_until a terrified scream pierced the air. _

_And then she woke up._

Phoebe Knight awoke in a cold sweat, arms flailing as she tried to grab onto anything that would break her fall. Her movements became less erratic as she came to the realization that she was safely in her bed, surrounded by nothing but soft pillows and a collection of stuffed animals she'd had since she was a baby. The dream had seemed so real. Even now she could feel a tingling by her side as she remembered the pain she'd felt when a Shadow had landed a nasty kick.

What happened in her dream, Phoebe knew, was a Ranger's worst fear: being completely surrounded by your enemy's foot soldiers with your teammates no where in sight and no way of contacting them. But Phoebe also knew that as a Ranger, she had the power to survive such a situation, even without her teammates.

She only wished her mind would believe her.

An insistent buzzing finalized her return to reality, and she quickly shut off her alarm clock so she wouldn't disturb anyone who might be sleeping in. On most days, weekend included, she rose earlier than most of her family. She liked the quiet. It was a refreshing change from the constant racket her younger siblings made when they were up, and while she loved them dearly, she couldn't stand their fighting.

Today, she wanted to specially make sure that she was up on time because she was going to meet up with her best friend at the park. She and Christina liked to go early on Saturday because that way they could use the tennis courts before it got too crowded. On rainy days they switched to the indoor batting cages. At least, Christina did and Phoebe just watched her. Somehow, she'd never quite gotten the hang of swinging the bat, and usually came home with more bruises than actual hits when she tried. But she didn't mind. For Phoebe, it was much more fun watching and cheering her friend on than actually practicing her hitting.

Suddenly filled with a desire to see her friend, Phoebe jumped out of bed and pulled on the clothes she had laid out the night before – a yellow, flowery skirt, and a soft yellow cardigan. Yellow had always been her favorite color, and she had found it only natural that she would be picked to be the Yellow Ranger. Not that being a Power Ranger was something natural, but this something familiar had helped her transition smoothly into the realm of the supernatural.

After a stop in the bathroom, Phoebe went to the kitchen and ate a quick breakfast. Neither her mother or father were downstairs yet, so she left a note to let them know that she was going out, then grabbed a light jacket and left.

A few minutes into her journey, the interesting watch she wore beeped. Every member of her team had one; it was the device that acted as both communicator and morpher for her team, though she knew that Steve, the Red Ranger, was working with their mentor on creating something else more efficient for that purpose.

Making sure that no one was watching her, Phoebe lifted her wrist to her mouth.

"What's the matter Sorosi?" she asked.

"_Prepare for teleportation_," her mentor advised.

Phoebe arrived at the Cave just in time to see Mark crash into the floor.


End file.
